A romantic comedy and science fiction rolled into one. Palm Springs may sound like a film you’ve seen before, but it manages to distinguish itself. The film earned a record revenue at the Sundance Film Festival last year, and after its American release on the Hulu streaming service, Amazon Prime Video has acquired the rights to introduce Palm Springs to an international audience. Great news, as despite the familiar storyline of characters stuck in a time loop trying to escape, Palm Springs is a film you absolutely shouldn’t miss!
Reliving the same day over and over again is a concept that has appeared in several films. It’s also a successful concept. Movies like Groundhog Day (1993), Edge of Tomorrow (2014), and Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2016) have explored the time loop predicament extensively. Therefore, the writers of Palm Springs chose to skip the explanation of a time loop and have the protagonist Nyles briefly refer to the previously successful films in the same genre. A clever trick that allows more time for the story Palm Springs wants to tell.
Imagine being stuck in a time loop on someone else’s wedding day. That’s what happens to Nyles (Andy Samberg). He experiences the same wedding in sunny Palm Springs every day. It’s quite lonely until the bride’s sister, Sarah (Cristin Milioti), accidentally joins the time loop. The moments with just Nyles in the loop have their charm, such as a perfectly timed dance scene, but the film truly takes off when Nyles and Sarah find themselves in the loop together.
An Empowering Top Cast
Palm Springs covers philosophical thoughts on the meaning of life, quantum physics, depression, relationship problems, friendship, love, and dinosaurs – everything is explored. Profound discussions are interspersed with humor in which Samberg and Milioti truly shine. And they prove it once again here. Samberg, known for SNL (1975-), Brooklyn 99 (2013-2021), and the comedy trio The Lonely Island, and Milioti, known from How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014) and Black Mirror (2011-), also exhibit fantastic chemistry. Could Palm Springs have been just as good without the chemistry and comedic qualities of Samberg and Milioti? Probably not, despite the well-written script. Lead actors Samberg and Milioti elevate the film, but the strong supporting role of J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man (2002), Whiplash (2014)) should also not be forgotten.
All the elements in Palm Springs, and there are many, complement each other. Addressing an existential crisis with humor? Why not, and it works remarkably well. Everything comes together perfectly here. Is it a film you haven’t seen before? Not really, but director Max Barbakow, the screenwriters, and the top-notch cast ensure that Palm Springs is unforgettable. While watching, you’re guaranteed to have a great time as you contemplate what you would do in such a situation and laugh at Nyles and Sarah’s rehearsed dance, J.K. Simmons’ character’s son, and dinosaurs.
Palm Springs (2021) – Hulu
Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again.
Cast: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, and others.
Director: Max Barbakow
Studio: Hulu
